Compliance and Integrity

Report Integrity Violation

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Employees and external parties are encouraged to speak out and report any concerns or suspicion that the Code is being violated. We ensure that no-one faces any form of retaliation or adverse consequences for having sought advice or reported a violation of the Code.

When in doubt about the meaning of the Code or its application to specific circumstances, employees should discuss this with their supervisor or manager, the Human Resources department or with the SGS legal department. Employees can also discuss any matter relating to the Code with internal auditors.

If it is not possible or appropriate for an employee to address a concern with his or her line management, the SGS Chief Compliance Officer can always be contacted. Employees who become aware of a violation or suspected violation of the Code are encouraged to make a report to the SGS Chief Compliance Officer.

The Integrity Helpline can be used by employees and external parties to obtain advice on integrity issues or to report suspected violations of the Code. Alternatively, written reports can be submitted online, or sent via fax, email or post.

The Compliance team looks and deals only with genuine complaints: bad faith allegations, commercial claims, complaints not involving integrity issues and commercial enquiries will not be handled by the Compliance team. In addition, general concerns about management, specific issues about a manager, if unrelated to a breach of the Code, and salary disputes should be addressed in your country, either through your supervisor or manager, or through the HR team. If you are unsure about reporting a violation, you should proceed with the report using the guidance provided.

If you wish to report a suspected violation of the Code, you can call the Integrity Helpline, file a written report online or send your report by fax, email or post.

Report a violation

Complete and submit your written report online, including full details of your concerns, for further investigation.

CALL THE INTEGRITY HELPLINE

SGS’s Integrity Helpline is operated by an independent contractor. To ensure confidentiality calls are not recorded.

CALL HELPLINE

Calls are answered 24/7 in English by trained specialists and interpreters are available. This Integrity Helpline is a Direct Access line with two-step dialing:

The helpline number you are calling is provisioned for toll-free international calling through AT&T's Direct Access Service. To use this service, you will first dial an AT&T access number that is specific to the country from which you are calling. This number will connect you to an AT&T center in the United States. You will hear a musical tone and an AT&T branding statement: "(bing) AT&T." After hearing this tone, you will dial the helpline number, and AT&T will connect the call to Global Compliance.

Following is a set of detailed dialing instructions for placing calls to helplines provisioned for AT&T’s international Direct Access.

Step 1: Place your call from a “land line” that allows international calls (not a mobile phone). Do whatever is necessary on the phone you are using to obtain an open line and dial tone for placing a local call.

Step 2: Dial the AT&T Direct Access number for the country from which you are making the call. Do not dial any prefixes or other digits. NO COUNTRY CODE and NO CITY CODE.

Step 3: You will hear a tone and a recorded voice saying, "AT&T."* After you hear this tone, dial your company’s 10-digit helpline number. Do not dial any prefixes or other digits

Step 4: You will be connected with Global Compliance. You will hear a recorded greeting prompting you to select the language you would like to speak, and then you will hear a recorded explanation of the purpose of the line. If you choose a language other than English, Global Compliance will conference in an interpreter to assist with your call. Please be patient, as the process of conferencing an interpreter can take several minutes. You will hear music while you are waiting.

Step 5: A Global Compliance Communication Specialist will answer your call and introduce himself or herself. If an interpreter is on the call, the interpreter will greet you in your language and will explain that he or she is present to assist the Communication Specialist in gathering your information.

*Note: In some countries or with some phone systems, an AT&T operator may answer in Step 3. The caller can provide the Ethics helpline number to the operator verbally, or dial it into the phone. If the operator states a calling card or credit card number is required in order to put the call through to the Ethics helpline number, this is a sign that the number is not provisioned correctly at AT&T.